Saturday, January 4, 1941

FLOYD TREATED FOR KIDNEY STONE. EDNA BAKES.

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Much colder to - day, ground

covered with light snow.

Henry went to G.R.on Right

of Way.

Laura called to - night,

said Floyd has a kidney

stone, lodged in duct

leading from kidney to

bladder. They are giving

him treatments to try to

dislodge it.

Baked bread, two cakes,

cookies.

Tired to - night.

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According to Harvard Health Publishing, kidney stones were first "diagnosed" nearly 7,000 years ago. In present time, "kidney stones send nearly three million Americans to the doctor each year."

Floyd is undergoing treatments to dislodge a kidney stone.

I wondered what form of treatments were used in the 1940s. I didn't find much information that I could understand/decipher easily as it was mainly presented in academic articles written not for a layperson like myself.

I did read about an early surgical method (sans anesthesia) known as a lithotomy.

The Hippocratic Oath contains the line "I will not use the knife, even upon those suffering from stones, but I will leave this to those who are trained in this craft."

This was for good reason. Surgical methods like a lithotomy were not for the unskilled practitioner nor for the faint of heart patient.

If you are not faint of heart, READ MORE about the procedure and one terribly botched lithotomy.